Sounds Around

Sounds Around 

JUMP worked with Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and health care professionals at the NHS to develop Sounds Around, a game created to stimulate conversation and discussion. Designed with a focus on people with dementia, it combines sounds, illustrated cards, and interesting facts to unlock a variety of themes that could be expanded on.  

Connecting through conversation 

Sounds Around can be played in a variety of ways and works best with a facilitator to allow the game to run smoothly. The board is unfolded, and 10 cards are spread out. Each card contains a unique illustration, facts, and themes of discussion. Users then match sounds from the Tyne & Wear Archives to the cards, discussing memories and associations and placing them on the board.  

A curated SoundCloud playlist leads players through the game. From trains and rain to frogs and football; the sounds can be selected based on the users' interests and passions to stimulate meaningful conversations. 

Unlocking memories 

The key aims of the game were to encourage play and communication, unlock memories, and boost the mood and confidence of the user. It was important to create a game that was flexible and could adapt to the varied needs of players. Through regular meetings with occupational therapists and testing with local dementia groups, we were able to make key design decisions that made the game ideal for use in a variety of settings and impactful for both one-to-one and group use. 

We worked closely with Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums from inception through to prototyping, curating sounds, and written content, all the way through to creating the final assets to continuously test and improve the final outcome. 

Bespoke brand and illustration 

The design of the game was friendly and uncomplicated however it was crucial that it didn’t appear child-like. We used bright, cheerful colours and a bespoke illustration style to depict the sounds used in the game. A grain texture was overlayed on elements that made a sound, adding vibrance and depth to the unique flat graphic style. The board was reflective of a photo album or scrapbook, allowing users to collect their chosen sound cards within decorative frames. This also allowed focus on process and conversation as players matched illustrative cards to sounds from the TWAM archives, rather than a final outcome.